Poinsettia cultivar `441` is an induced mutant of a Poinsettia seedling designated `E-60`. The new cultivar is similar to `E-60` in having stiff, erect stems. However, cultivar `441` is strongly self-branching while the parent plant `E-60` is notably less self-branching. Cultivar `441`s post-harvest qualities are superior to those of `Lilo` described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,694.
This new Poinsettia cultivar `441` originated as an induced mutation of a seedling designated as `E-60` which resulted from cross pollination in my greenhouse in Encinitas, Calif. It was selected because of its early flowering, medium stature, dark red flower bracts and dark green foliage, prolific branching and long post-production keeping; traits which distinguish it from other Poinsettia cultivars and seem to make it a desirable plant for commercial greenhouse production. `441` has many of the same desirable traits and appearances as Poinsettia `Lilo`. However, greenhouse observations and post-production trials indicated stronger self-branching and almost no post-production bract edge burn. These characteristics are highly desirable in a commercially grown cultivar, and represent improvements over the cultivar `Lilo`. After selection, stem cuttings of this plant were vegetatively reproduced for test purposes in Encinitas, Calif., and clones of this plant were subjected to successive generations of vegetative propagation which demonstrated that its distinctive characteristics hold true from generation to generation.